There’s a special chemistry brewing at Bay-Arenac Community High School, and the result could help alternative-education schools across the country.

The Essexville alternative high school is developing a chemistry curriculum specifically designed for its students. The program is getting some national buzz and is catching on at schools in Midland and Saginaw counties as well.

Mike Randolph | The Bay City TimesBay-Arenac Community High School science teacher Bob Moyer, left, has teamed up with John Blizzard, a member of the American Chemical Society to bring a one of a kind chemistry program for the alternative education school.

It started when John Blizzard, owner of the science research firm Quadsil Inc. in Midland, decided he wanted to expand chemistry education in schools. Someone told him he should look at alternative-education programs, which teach at-risk students.

With the state of Michigan recently mandating chemistry credits for graduating seniors, Blizzard knew the 150-student Bay-Arenac High School needed help.

“Our problem was that the traditional chemistry program doesn’t work in a non-traditional setting,” said Blizzard.He partnered with Dow Corning Corp., the Bay Area Community Foundation and the Kantzler Foundation a year and a half ago to finance a new chemistry program. Today, with $400,000 worth of donations, the program is expanding to two other alternative high schools — Windover High School in Midland and Omni Adult and Alternative Education School in Carrollton.

Three teachers, one from each school, sacrificed their summers to develop a curriculum that fit the needs of an alternative high school.

“Those three teachers are the real heroes,” said Blizzard. “They gave up 18 months of their lives to make sure this program met all state mandates.”

As the program took shape, Blizzard and Bay-Arenac Superintendent Ryan Donlan thought the uniquely crafted curriculum could be used in similar schools across the country. The American Chemical Society felt the same way.

“Last year was just a pilot program to see if it was aligned with state goals,” said Blizzard. “But that pilot program has turned into a true chemistry education.”

The American Chemical Society now is considering publishing the curriculum for others to use. Society President Thomas Lane, scientist emeritus for Dow Corning, visited Bay-Arenac High School to give them a National Salute for Excellence Award, calling the curriculum a vanguard program.

“Our students come in at different levels, and chemistry is an upper level course,” said Victoria Behe at the Omni school. “We fill in the cracks in their education foundation and then build on the chemistry part.”

Now in its second year at Bay-Arenac Community High School, science teacher Robert Moyer said the program still has some kinks, but they are building on its initial success.

“We had 81 students earn credit last year,” Moyer said. “We are gearing this directly for our kids, that’s how we know it’ll work.”

Even though the curriculum is tailored to alternative education, students are held to the same state mandates as traditional education programs.

“We’re taking those standards into a form that’s easy for them to understand,” said Behe. “All students need a chemistry background.”

Nancy Vossen, science teacher at Windover High School in Midland said this curriculum ensures all students receive that background.

“Our underlying thought as the three of us worked together was chemistry for all,” said Vossen, who has about 35 students in her class this year. “We want to make chemistry accessible to all students.”

Students’ interest in chemistry and pride in the program is growing as well. Kayla Irmen, a senior at the Bay-Arenac Community High School this year said she is interested in a field of forensic chemistry.

“The program is hard at times,” Irmen said. “But it’s fun as long as you have that ‘get it done’ attitude.”

Only six weeks into school, the class is still learning the basics of chemistry and focusing on safety in the lab. Fully equipped labs will begin after Thanksgiving.

Members from the American Chemical Society, including Blizzard, will come into the classroom for guest instruction occasionally, explaining how chemistry plays a role in their respected careers.

Now, students deemed at-risk have a new challenge that could point to a future in science.

“This is a one-of-a kind program,” said Donlan. “We have budding chemists that are going to become lifelong scientists.”